Unemployment Round Two….

This is what we were planning for, the news came a couple
months back but unemployment wasn’t exactly what we wanted to be plummeting into,
again.

Two years ago, almost to the week the hubs lost his
job. We knew his new job was on the
rocks, but we thought the issues had all been resolved and we were looking
forward to growing in his new employment.
In the last days of his three month probation period we got word that
they were letting him go.

He quit a job to take this new job and now they were letting
him go, with no real explanation. Frustrating. Not really the position a
stay-at-home mom of two, one income family wanted to hear. But really, does any one really want that devastating
news?!

We are frugal and made plans to survive and we got by. We got a little crazy and moved forward. We had hard days, we had long days. We had days of wondering when it would end
and when we might find employment.

One of the hardest things for me was adjusting my routine
with the kids at home. We love having
daddy home, but when both parents are home all the time, and your job hunting
and not working full time, it can take a toll on everyone. But despite the
times that were hard it brought us closer together and made us work as a team
to resolve issues.

We searched and searched, interviewed and interviewed, we
prayed, hoped, acted upon and waited.

We had one temp job about 5 months into the unemployment. The hubs got a job unpacking boxes at the New
Nike Store. It paid less than $10/hr,
but it was a wonderful blessing for him to have a job for a while where he was
active and enjoyed working with others. We even we given a mountain of boxes
for our move. Even more so it was a huge
blessing to not have to search for boxes at an already stressful time of life.

Several weeks later he got another temp job working for the
local hospital in the accounting department. This job paid much better than the
box cutting job, but was only for a few months as he covered for a woman on
maternity leave.

Again it was a great boost in many ways to have work.

We prayed and prayed that there might be an opportunity of permanent
work ahead. We were specific in our prayers asking that as soon as we ended the
temp job there would be a job waiting for us so we could move forward.

We were blessed. We
had a new job lined up that started days after our move back to Boise. This was a job that seemed meant to be, they
were looking for someone with specific experience and skills and he had both of
what they were looking for.

A few months into his new job it was apparent there was
conflict with those who hired him. When
he was hired there was not a consensus among the partners about adding an
additional staff member and it made it an uncomfortable work environment. It got even hairier when the partner that
hired him, just picked up and left one day leaving staff hanging and work
undone. A bit of a mess, and somehow we
were plunged into the middle of it.

At this time we came to realize the job we had hoped, prayed
for and received was now in jeopardy.
There wasn’t sufficient work to justify keeping him at the firm. We were assured that they would find work and
keep him busy, but even so, the demand had changed and it looked like this job
wouldn’t be lasting much longer.

We continued to look for employment and the hubs networked,
attempted starting grad school and I got pregnant. Pregnancy as you have read from other posts,
challenges my every fiber.

We have even searched for jobs out of town. The hubs has interviewed for jobs in four
states, seven cities and even more locally. We even thought we were going to be
offered a position in LasVegas where there were multiple interviews and
contacts, but for what ever reason we were not offered the position.

Even though we still had a job, we knew it wouldn’t last as
we hoped it would. A month and a half
ago, we were given word that his job would be ending soon and they were
eliminating his position. It wasn’t so much a surprise this time. In fact the
hub’s employer has been awesome to work with in helping us network and was good
about keeping us on until we had our baby and such. Since we have endured this before and we have
simplified our lives so much, it makes the prospect of unemployment a little
more bearable.

Last week we spent time at doctor’s appointments for hubs
and the kids to take advantage of our insurance before we lose it. I was at an appointment for Tino when the
hubs text me and called and wanted me to call him ASAP. I didn’t get the message as soon as he would
have liked, but once we were out of the doctor’s office I called him back and
he shared the big news.

His boss had just come in and told him he is not losing his
job. They are making a way working with
another firm to contract some of the work they need done. Again we are grateful, but there is nothing like
preparing for destitute and then finding out that you won’t be jobless after all.
We are so happy to not be out of work today!

So here we are, still looking for a new job, but looks like
we will be employed after all until we can find new opportunities or things can
pick up where we are at. Crazy how life can shift and change in a blink of an
eye.

Have you had to deal with unemployment? What is something that got you through that
challenging time? Please share your tips in the comments below!